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52 HISTORY OF ERIE COUNTY
ence was what was called "cut money." A silver dollar was cut into
ten or twelve pieces that passed for shillings. The first paper money
that the settlers were unfortunate enough to possess was the notes of
the Owl Creek Bank, in denominations of 6%, 12y2, 37y2, and 50 cents.
The bank failed, and those who held its money recovered nothing.
During the War of 1812 the settlers were in almost constant fear of
massacre by the Indians. In 1811 they joined in the erection of a block
house. It was used as a dwelling by Mrs. Clark and her family, but
whenever a report of the approach of Indians reached the settlement the
settlers would move tlieir families to the block house, where they Avould
remain until the alarm subsided. On one occasion, while a man was
going Avith his family to the block house, a young man was sent some
distance ahead to keep a lookout for Indians. When within half a mile
of the bloc'k house the report of a gun was heard, and the young man
came running back with the intelligence that he had seen two Indians,
one of whom shot at him, at the same time showing a bullet hole in his
coat. The alarm spread rapidly, and all the inhabitants collected at the
block house, and made every preparation they could for an attack which,
they expected, would be made that night. The women and children were
sent into the room above while the men with guns, pitchforks and clubs,
awaited below the expected assault. During the night the alarm was
given by the occupants of the second story that Indians with fire-brands
Avere approaching. No one in the house showed any disposition to sleep,
except the individual Avhose coat had been pierced by a bullet the evening
before. As the morning dawned it also began to dawn upon their
minds that they were the victims of a cruel hoax, aitff that the said
individual had shot the bullet through his coat himself, to give the
appearance of credibility to his story. The "fire-brands" were sparks
and cinders carried by the wind from a burning log heap. What they
did to the joker is not recorded.
The first birth in the toAvnship AVIIS that of Caroline, daughter of
Ezra Sprague, May 13, 1810. She became the wife of II. F. Merry,
of Sandusky.
The first marriage was that of Thomas Starr and Clementina Clark.
They were married in the spring of 1814 by Esquire Abijah Comstock.
The ceremony took place at the residence of the bride's mother, in the
old block house. It is said that everybody in the township attended, and
the house Avas not croAvded either. The next couple married Avas John
Brooks, Jr., and Adaline Squire. They were married by Rev. Nathan
Smith, the first minister in the place'. The date is lost in obscurity;
probably in 1815 or 1816.
The first person that died in the township -was the mother of Judge
Meeker, the date of which is not knoAvn. She was buried on the bank
of Chapelle Creek.
The first burying ground was on Uriah Hawley's place, where he
buried his wife, in 1818. Ten or fifteen persons were subsequently
buried there, but as there was no road leading to the ground, another
burying place was selected and the bodies removed to it in 1825.